Ready to work-new ministers

Prime Minister Mia Mottley did little today to quell suggestions that some of the changes made in Wednesday’s cabinet reshuffle were punitive demotions and dismissals as she stood in support of her two new ministers sworn into office at Government House.

She would only declare expectations that Cabinet members Ian Gooding-Edghill and Senator Lisa Cummins would “hit the ground running”.

At approximately 3:15 on Thursday afternoon, Governor General Dame Sandra Mason elevated Gooding-Edghill, St Michael West Central MP, to Minister of Transport, Works and Water Resources and Senator Cummins to Minister of Tourism and International Transport.

“I am very happy today to formally welcome these two fine Barbadians to Cabinet. I believe that they are going to add tremendous value to what we can do in this country and in the two areas that I have asked them to serve,” declared Prime Minister Mottley after the swearing-in.

“They both have a distinguished track record in the areas in which they have served over the last two years.”

Alluding to Gooding-Edghill’s service under the Owen Arthur administration that ended in 2008 and his current role as chairman of the Transport Board, Mottley expects his transition to the ministerial portfolio to be “seamless”.

But she pointed out that with the imminent threat of Tropical Storm Gonzalo and the critical role of his ministry in preparing for its passage, he would be expected to “hit the ground running”.

From left, Attorney General Dale Marshall, Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw, Minister of Transport, Works and Water Resources Ian Gooding-Edghill, Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Minister of Tourism and International Transport Lisa Cummins and Foreign Affairs Minister Senator Dr Jerome Walcott during today’s swearing in.

The PM also pointed out that Senator Cummins is also entering the tourism ministry at an extremely “challenging” time for the fragile industry.

“I welcome her to the effort especially at this challenging time when the country’s tourism sector has effectively ground to a halt. So you have come into office at a time when the country is expecting many things from you,” Mottley stressed.

Wednesday’s swearing-in ceremony followed a major cabinet reshuffle in which five former ministers were removed from office and eight others were shifted to new ministries.

Mottley, who entertained no questions at Wednesday’s press conference, once again sidestepped questions about the motives for the reshuffle in which an unelected Upper Chamber parliamentarian replaced a three-term MP for St James Central Kerrie Symmonds as minister of the country’s main economic engine.

“Does your employer discuss your performance in public? Okay, well thank you,” was the PM’s response when quizzed about the moves.

Senator Cummins, chairman of Barbados Port Inc., has also served as Executive Director of UWI Consulting, a subsidiary of the University of the West Indies. She thanked the PM for the confidence vested in her and in turn credited Ms Mottley and UWI Pro Vice-Chancellor of the UWI for inspiring her over the years.

While noting that she has not had the opportunity to sit with the PM to chart the way forward for the tourism sector, Senator Cummins pledged to embark on a mission to distinguish the critical sector from that of others by expanding on initiatives like the new Welcome Stamp visa for remote-working visitors.

“I think one of the things that we would want is that we are beyond sun, sea and sand, and we have had a lot of efforts being taken by the Honorable Kerrie Symmonds who has done a tremendous job so far of taking us this far. In the next two years, I would want to be able to see Barbados stand apart from not just every other country in the region, but every other small island developing state,” Senator Cummins declared.

Gooding-Edghill declared that job number one was to assist with the transformation of Barbados from within his new ministry, which oversees the Barbados Water Authority.

“We will hit the ground running and do what we have to do to transform lives in Barbados and build out our infrastructure,” he said.
kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb